Playing with Logos

Making a logo for a friend's awesome new website. These are what I am playing with and its really fun. Its basically a site about writers and book related events in New York. Soo I am playing with all sorts of ideas and we will see if any of them are what they are looking for. Either way I am pretty happy with the preliminary logos.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

I bought a small travel watercolor set to test out. I decided to use it on this illo and it looks ok. I think if I spent more time working with watercolor I might like it better. I am just so used to gouache and it honestly scans better. Anyway, we shall see. I might just give the watercolor set away, but you cannot hate something if you never try it...which isn't true at all so never mind.

Winnie's cake includes: hot dog, banana, jelly beans, spatula, cheese doodles, and potato chips!

IF: Sink

Holiday Slog

I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now. We are supposed to be moving this week...yes, this week, but does our apartment look like we are planning to move? Do the cats seem anxious? No. In fact, we are still waiting to hear that we can move in and we have keys or contract...this is extremely unnerving. Only in New York, really, I think that is the biggest downfall of living here. The insane things that go on in this market where people bring 4000 cash just to secure an apartment to rent, where making a quick decision is almost waiting too long, and where negotiating means you lose the apartment.
We are just moving across the hall, but its still moving. We are going to the yearly tornado of holiday events. We take a bus down to VA to have dinner with JJ's Dad and step mom--->from there go to Oxford, NC for extended fam time---->California, MD to see JJ's mom and step dad----> back to NY and on the same day we get in have dinner and jazz concert with JJ's dad and step mom. This is not a week trip, but 23rd-27th. I cannot tell you how tired it makes me to think about it.
A couple of exciting thing to negate all this negative chatter: I bought all gifts this holiday from Peru or from small vendors in the USA.
I have a meeting with a literary agent in January. This is exciting because I lost my agent recently (who was not a literary agent) and went to see two literary agents who did not really see my books going anywhere. I find it frustrating that my book is less re-readable than a book called "good night ipad." I was showed this book and all I could think was, this is not a children's classic nor will be be relevant in 5 years. Angry birds will not be vogue. I was told that: no one would reread a finding book (that must be why where's waldo never took off), a kid does not want to read a book about getting dressed for school when they are about to go to sleep (no joke, she said that), and there was not enough of a plot. So, it will be nice to meet with someone else. Even if this other person cannot see how to sell this book at least I will feel like I am trying.
I am cleaning house of art, which feels very good. I put tons of prints on etsy because I have too much back stock, I put ceramics on etsy that I painted recently, and I just finished a commission painting of whales.
I am excited to move and next year: get published somehow, do some craft fairs with another great design duo, pay a lot of money for a full website overhaul that will give me a blog-store-pholio all in one place, do a kick starter for tea towels, and last but not least work on a book of illustrated recipes from celebrity chefs...after I pitch it to the chefs in question.

Right now I am in the process of testing out a recipe I invented called Holiday Snog Bread. If it turns out well it will be another illustrated recipe. Fingers crossed.

Now off to get packing and divesting.

Frenchy French

A little something because I should not be sitting around watching netflix and not have something to show for it. I wanted to start drawing something every day, but this seems unrealistic as some days I leave at 5am and get home at 8pm and then have to go to sleep by 9....so

Anyway, this is a little concept for another children's book about a little chef. The idea is that she cooks in other peoples kitchens because her mother does not think she is old enough to be cooking. She has a frenchie and uneven pony tails. She is not good at a lot of other things, but she is a great cook! So, while I have not gotten the other two books off the ground I am starting another one. I know this is silly, but I figure I will work on submitting the other two to a book contest and then self publish if I have to. I think it will be cute because I do love to draw kitchens and I have an entire pinterest dedicated to them.

Hoping I have some time to cram in some drawing tomorrow.

Sleeves!!!!

New sleeves!

Yay, stocking stuffers for all.

Keep em' Separated

Based on actual events....all the time

IF: Separated

Because its funny

Just a little something.

Squirrel holiday sticker labels

Stickers! These custom stickers measure at about 2 x 2.5 and are really beautiful. Yay stickers!! They are now available on etsy!

Holiday Treats

Here are two new commissions of some really cute animals! I love the holidays because everyone wants to give the gift of animal portraits.

Horseradish Cauliflower Mash

Holiday recipe contest. Yay!!!

The month that keeps on giving

Writing about the last few months seems completely impossible based on the things that have occurred...I can hardly keep it all straight. I am going to try and sum it all up in a list format....just for the sake of efficiency

1. marathon 1 Portland: great trip was supposed to end with marathon, but for me, it ended with a 10 ml fail and sad charrow

2. Iron and Wine viewed at the distance a 15 year old would approve of...smashed against the front fence, and we actually were sandwiched between teens who clearly had heard the twilight sound track. And yes, we did feel too old.

3. finished another book....but still have to figure out what to do with it. Going to enter a book contest and if that is a no go I will do some self publishing.

4. Signed up for the Philadelphia marathon...because I'm dumb (but I finished and it goes on the list of crazy things I've done)

5. Went to Peru and Ecuador...and still need to upload illustrations and photos

6. Started closing on an apartment we found. We were going to be owners!!

7. said apartment fell through

8. crap...where are we going to live?

9. probably will sublet across the hall...literally...for another year while we look for something new. The pros of this other place: it has sun, faces the back, and the kitchen was redone! No more black counters...which are gross.

10. entered contests for holiday recipe, card contest, CMYK Mag, Comm Arts, and maybe a few more...good bye money

Im sure there is more, but it feels like more than enough. Being busy is good, but I feel completely run down. I have not run in a few days because I have some head cold which makes it hard enough to breath while sitting.

I have to fit in all the divesting and packing with teaching classes and working...not to mention xmas. It was so much easier when I could ignore xmas. I viewed from the outside and thought what a pretty holiday it was. I loved the lights and candles and it was such a beautiful thing that I could work on a holiday I did not celebrate and get paid time and a half....oh those days. Now I see what this holiday feels like from the inside. It is stressful. It involves spending money you don't have and if you decide to break the mold and not spend money...well then you are the jerk who didn't buy people things. And instead of spending money you end up getting neatly packaged guilt.

I do pretty well on the holidays, which is the flip side of things. I sell a lot of commissions, prints, and cards. I think this time of year is partly what keeps me feeling like I can do this for a living. Its not that I do not do well the rest of the year, but December it all comes at once and keeps me busy. Likewise, this year, I bought most of the gifts in Peru and Ecuador to small vendors and then the rest came from one person companies. In fact, even most of my major vendors are small businesses.

People you should support:

eviro totes - They are a woman owned, woman run, american company operating out of New Hampshire. They have bottle cotton (100% post consumer bottle plastic) and a recycled cotton made 80% post production cotton and 20% bottle cotton. They print on site and do custom anything. They make my totes, wine totes, java jackets, and soon they will be making my tea towels....those will come next year. I might make a kick starter for it.

Sticker Mule - they make custom stickers. I get my squirrel wearing a bow tie stickers from them and soon!!! I will be getting sticker labels for Christmas and Hanukkah packages. The stickers are not shiny and are vinyl, which makes them classy and sturdy. I have gotten personal thank you's from the company for using them and that makes me feel special. They do a bunch of other things, which I have yet to take advantage of such as skins and die cuts...but clearly at some point a die cut squirrel is in order. In fact, if you think you might want a skin for your lap top, ipad, iphone, or kindle...let me know :)

If you do want stickers you can get $10 bucks off by using this link.

Ok, off to make some cards and get ready to move

Cards!!!!

New cards and I am trying to do a lot more before xmas. Both holiday and non-holiday related.

Vanity

Something completely different for the season:

IF: Vanity
(Pattern borrowed from http://designyoutrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/unnamed_cxnv41ps6t.jpg)
Today we found out we will not be getting the apartment we were going to buy. This means we have 5 weeks to find a place to live. The problem may have corrected itself in that we might be able to rent a place down the hall from where we are living now. It will make life easier as we try to find another place to buy....blarg. Happy thanksgiving.

Say Hello to Sniglet

Busy weekend of running the Philli Marathon and getting ready for T-day. Have a great weekend and here is a little something to brighten your day!

Sound of silence is not a dog

IF: Silent

Cat in a Fez

I realize looking back at these animations that I was not very good. In fact, I am not sure how I got a good grade in this class. Oh well.

Old Footage

I made this little animation while in school. It is really silly. In fact, they are all really silly. This one was my crowning jewel of silly.

How the Mighty Have Fallen

So the truth is I have not made a flash animation in 3.5 years. I cannot remember how to do anything, but I thought I would do a little video. Its a start....a slow start.

Keep in mind this was 30 minute re-exploration. I think I will get better...

The Kingdom of Suck

It came to my attention recently that a project I created a proposal for, which was accepted, and then dropped for no reason was stolen from me. I am a patient and reasonable person, but when a LARGE firm asks for a proposal it is my understanding that if its my idea, it still is my idea if they do not hire me. The concept was mine and after asking them to contact me and hearing nothing I got suspicious. I recently went to the site and found that my concept had been executed. "Turning a project over to the architect" does not mean equal "steal my shit and have someone else do it." It is unfortunate for these people that they did not pay me the little bit I asked for. This company is so big that the fee would have been worth it compared to the shit storm they are going to have to deal with now. It sucks, it really does. I hate to feel this way and I hate to be this person, but why steal what you can afford to buy? So, the lawyers letter will come next and maybe then they will answer my emails.

Blah

I Saw The Sign

I will hence forth be known as the chalk master! Well not really, but I had a little freelance project at Little Owl. I usually do not work in chalk, but it was fun on a nice even surface. Usually, I do our signs at Joe, but our sign is pretty beat up by the elements so its hard to get a nice clean line. This was for a baby shower and spans about 6 feet vertically. I am really happy with the end product.

Trendy

One awesome thing about Portland is there obsession with terrariums. They were everywhere. The Ace Hotel had a beautiful set up in the lobby. There was a woman that came in one day over the course of our stay and she spruced it and rearranged the layout. I had a great time sketching it and it made me more obsessed with the idea of making my own terrarium garden. After me move at the end of December I am allowed to buy the rest of the supplies for this endeavor. Not only do they look cool, but they are inherently cat proof.

Some New Cards

Here are a few for the road

Holiday Cards have Begun

And here are the first two that I will make available tonight. More to come both holiday specific and non denominational.

Fashion Animal

IF: Stripes

Just trying to catch up with commissions, holiday cards, and sending out my book....I am officially sans agent, which is scary but probably for the better right now.

Galapagos and Matchu Pitchu

Just returned from an amazing trip to Peru and Ecuador. I have a lot of photos to upload, but I also have little paintings. So here are two and there are more to come.

The Long Winter

Excuse the long absence. I have a tendency to forget to mention when I leave the country. So, I went to Portland, OR (Not Maine, even though the gate for the flight to Portland Maine was right next to our gate for Portland OR....you can imagine the confusion that ensued when they announced the boarding for Portland...Maine...but did not say Maine...yes, that is right...we all looked around completely baffled by the last boarding call for Portland and we had not even heard the pre-boarding.)

So, the marathon...the thing I had planned for for the whole year...and I got very very sick the night before. I mean I could not sleep, move, stay still, throwing up, explosive stomach problems, and I was fretting about the race. We got up (JJ got up, as I was already awake) and I put on my clothes and resumed my post in the fetal position on the bed. I could not eat anything either, that was the real issue...aside from the amazing pain. So, I decided to give it a try. I made it 10 miles and realized that at mile 10, when I hadn't eaten anything and could not stomach anything aside from water that maybe ending up in the hospital at mile 17 was a bad idea. I bowed out and it was the hardest thing I have done in a while. I almost could not believe it was happening. Right before I quit I was listening to the Freakanomics podcast and it happened to be about quitting....it was so miserable. So, JJ finished and I went back to Ace Hotel and slept in the lobby. Why did I sleep in the lobby, do you ask, as apposed to our room. Well, we got cheap rooms with a bathroom down the hall and I decided for the last two days we should spurge and get a room with a bathroom. So, they were all full, but the guy said we could check out and check back in when we were done running...you see where this is going....I was supposed to be done at 1:30, but instead I came back at 10:30...so no room. Cut to me sleeping for 3 hours in the lobby, thank you Ace Hotel. The lovely counter man/boy let me use one of the bathrooms to take a shower and not smell like a hobo. By the time JJ hobbled back to the hotel our room was ready and we went to order room service and I cried. It was really hard, but I had not choice. I did not have an appendicitis, cancer, or anything life threatening. It was probably an ovarian cyst that burst....let me just say that if it happens again I may need to an epidural.

So cut to the day after we get home and I decide I am going to have my marathon. So, I signed up for Philli right before T-Day.

And now cut to 5 days after we got back from OR I went to Peru and Ecuador with my aunt. 16 days later and now Im back and ready to not take a plane ever again. The Matchu Pitchu and Galapagos trips need an entry all their own so maybe tomorrow. Pictures and art to come...and holiday cards are up and ready to go!

Its Hibernation time

This is long overdue. I have been working feverishly to finish the children's book. I did finish it and recently met with a local book agent. She said it did not have a plot, once children found the objects they would not be interested in looking at it again, and the colors are all the save values so it difficult to understand the illos. It was a great meeting. It definitely made me want to go face more rejections! Its fine though, it just made me feel very tired and beat up. I will work on finishing the cover and making it look even more presentable to send around, but I will probably self publish. I am also going to revisit the ugly sweater and work with my best friend on another book. So there!

Here is an IF drawing! It has been so long and I have missed it so much. Ok, off to portland tomorrow for a few days of vacation and a marathon.

Hope to rejuvenated when I get back.

IF: hibernate

Brooklyn is on the map!

Ok, so I have been working on this one for awhile. The brooklyn coffee map is donezo! Well, Brooklyn, and a tiny tiny bit of queens. I did not want to say "and queens" because people from queens would probably say "hey, what's the matter you!" so I included the two shops in queens and hope I only offend the normal amount of folks. I know there are shops not here, but its not a map of everyone, its a map of the most notable and consistent. Additionally, I have corrected some errors and if there are any others I will correct them gladly.

Ok, on ward to smaller things.

Print with shipping options

Print + Shipping within USA $25.00Print+ Shipping outside USA $30.00

This map is 13×19” and is printed on premium semi gloss Red River paper, is encased in a sleeve, and is shipped in a kraft paper tube.

Some other spreads I never uploaded

Here is page 9: (might be a bit too simple. I am on the fence....yes, that was a pun)

Here is the edited page 2: (I added wall stripes)

Updated page 4: I added the rug once I realized all the rooms had intricate rugs.

Page 10

The final spread of the book

Where you been

Hey Charrow, where are you!!!

Sorry, I have been hunting for an apartment to live in. We have to move at the end of December. That along with marathon training and Joe training is owning my life.

I have not forgotten about you dear blog and I am sorry. I will give you some color tomorrow.

charrow

A couple weeks in Review

Weekend in the Country with my cousins

Long runs 17 and 20 miles:

30 mile bike ride to Fort Tilden: